Blog posts, emails, and videos are all examples of content created to convince a customer to take action, but in an engaging, often entertaining way. Aggressive advertising is disappearing, and companies are putting more effort into establishing a relationship with customers. Content Marketers tell a brand's story and connect with a target audience across various channels, including websites, blogs, apps, and social media platforms. To get a job as a Content Marketer, you need to study content and digital marketing strategies, build up your writing ability, and maybe get some freelance experience.
The Role of a Content Marketer
People with experience as Copywriters and Content Creators often move up the career ladder and become Content Marketers. These are the people in charge of developing and managing a company’s content strategy. Content Marketers work with Writers and Videographers to create blog posts, videos, social media posts, emails, ebooks, and reports to inform, engage, or entertain a target audience. Storytelling ability is crucial to build and maintain a community audience.
In addition to creative activities, Content Marketers need to understand SEO and choose the best keywords to ensure prime placement on Google and other search engines. A knowledge of data analytics tools is another important part of a Content Marketer’s job.
Further, Content Marketers need to develop and implement a content schedule. This publishing plan determines the most advantageous timing for publishing content on a weekly, monthly, yearly, or seasonal basis.
Career Paths For Content Marketers
Any company, business, or brand with an online presence can use content marketing to enhance its virtual reach. There are plenty of careers across the country for those with a background in content marketing.
As more companies’ dollars continue to funnel toward this up-and-coming industry, professionals with a background in content marketing are in rising demand. Content marketing skills can lead to jobs in marketing, strategy, data analytics, social media management, and consulting. Additionally, understanding contact marketing and how to make it work for you can benefit entrepreneurs and small business owners.
According to Indeed, Content Marketers in the U.S. earn an average yearly salary of around $60K—though that number may change depending on location. No matter where you’re located, if you’re interested in a career in the digital marketing or social media marketing world, it’s a good idea to add content marketing skills to your toolbox.
Job Requirements for Content Marketers
Companies hiring Content Marketers are looking for people with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, marketing, communications, or IT, or the equivalent in training and job experience. Successful candidates must have excellent communication and writing skills, and significant writing and editing experience. Content Marketers also need data analytics skills, including familiarity with Google Analytics and other social media analytics tools. Knowledge of SEO is also important and Content Marketers need to know how to choose the right keywords, where to put them, and how to assess their effectiveness.
Training to Become a Content Marketer
If you want to change careers and become a Content Marketer, one way to accomplish that is to sign up for a digital marketing bootcamp. Noble Desktop’s Digital Marketing Strategies Bootcamp teaches the role of digital marketing in today’s business landscape. It also covers how to design successful email campaigns, optimize websites and landing pages for conversions, and create content to drive traffic to your or your company’s website by engaging your audience. The SEO Bootcamp will teach you how search engines work, how to do keyword research and competitor analysis, and how to use SEO-driven content to increase web traffic. You can also sign up for a Google Analytics Bootcamp to learn how to set up an account, know which metrics to track, and understand the Google Analytics reports. Each bootcamp includes 12 hours of instruction and costs $650.
Another way to prepare for a career as a Content Marketer is a digital marketing certificate course. Noble’s Digital Marketing Certificate includes the digital marketing, SEO, and Google Analytics bootcamps, plus Google Ads and classes on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, X (formerly known as Twitter) marketing, plus content marketing with blogs. You can choose classes that meet in-person or online. Some people prefer to attend brick-and-mortar sessions when learning new information, but that isn’t always available. Live online classes have a similar set-up with a real-time, remote instructor who can answer questions and take control of your monitor—with permission—to show you how to do things. Training is part or full-time and available weekdays, weeknights, or weekends.
It takes 78 hours of instruction to complete a digital marketing certificate through Noble Desktop, and the tuition is $3,295. An installment plan and loans are available. You can choose between full or part-time classes and classes that meet during the day, evening, or on weekends. When you finish the course, you will receive a verified digital certificate of completion recognized by the New York State Department of Education that you can download or post on your LinkedIn profile. This type of certification can help you get a job as a Content Marketer.
Finding a Job as a Content Marketer
When it comes to landing a job as a Content Marketer, you need to show that you are a good writer and understand content strategy. Connecting with writer’s groups on social media and creating a portfolio of your work are also necessary.
Polish Your Writing
If you’ve been working as a copywriter or editor for a while, your writing skills are probably pretty good and you will be ready to take the next step. If you are just starting on your career path, you will need to get some writing experience and build up your portfolio before trying for a job as a Content Marketer.
Freelancing
There are many jobs for freelance Copywriters and some of them involve some marketing as well. Sites like Upwork and Fiverr are good places to look for freelance gigs when you are starting out. When you have several years of experience, you can start to apply for jobs on job boards like Indeed, where you will find many jobs for Content Marketers advertised. Once you make an account and set filters, job announcements will be emailed to you. There are many kinds of jobs posted, and Indeed also has a quick apply feature.
Networking
Getting together with other Writers is a good way to hear about small jobs that you could do to gain experience and build your portfolio. The way to find out about these opportunities is through networking. One of the most difficult things for some people to do is talk about themselves–particularly creative people who tend to be loners and introverts–but that is exactly what you need to do. It’s important to make connections with people so they will check out your work and keep you in mind for future assignments.
The key to networking is to build relationships with people you meet. This could be in professional settings like conferences or social gatherings. Tell people what you do. If it is a professional gathering, be specific. If it is more social, describe your business in more general terms. The most important part is to tell people that you are looking for a job in content marketing but be sure to do it in a friendly, natural way.
LinkedIn is a social media platform designed for businesses and professionals. There is a job recruiting section where you can apply for as many jobs as you want with no service fees. After you complete your LinkedIn profile, you can use the quick apply feature. LinkedIn makes it easy to research companies, too.
X
X is the place where Writers hang out on social media. Follow your favorites and get a feel for what the community is talking about. As you gain experience, you can build a following on X, which will help bring you to the attention of companies who may want to hire you.
Professional groups on Facebook are an excellent way to get to know and interact with other Writers, Content Creators, and Marketers. Check out how other Content Marketers present themselves and their brands.
Create a Portfolio
Samples of your work are the best way to get more jobs. Create a website with examples of projects you’ve done in the past, including blog posts, videos, SEO keyword articles, and any other types of content you’ve created and marketed. SEO copy turns over quickly, so include links and .pdf copies of your samples just in case they can’t be accessed in their original location.
Conclusion
If you want to learn more about digital marketing careers, check out Noble Desktop’s Digital Marketing Certificate or Social Media Marketing Certificate. Choose between in-person sessions in NYC at Noble’s location or sign up for live online courses and attend from anywhere. Use Noble Desktop’s Classes Near Me to find other courses in digital marketing in your area.